Regret
by Deltana
Summary: Both are on seperate sides of parallel worlds, both are searching for a way to find one another. RoyEd
1. Chapter 1

_**TEARS-**_

_Dead. _

Brigadier General Maes Hughes, his best friend. Even during his friend's eventful death, Roy could not bring himself to show any real emotion. Compared to Major Armstrong, a hulking mass of muscle who was crying for a lost comrade, Roy Mustang seemed very cold and aloof.

The man who had stood beside him and who had always tried to help him achieve his goal would soon become nothing more than a rotten corpse.

As the procession dragged on, trumpets sounding, guns firing, Roy Mustang shed not a single tear on that fateful day.

_And yet…_

As Roy leaned back against the new cold tombstone he couldn't help but wonder why this time should be so different.

When Roy was told of Full Metal's death, he could have broke into tears right then.

The younger brother, Alphonse, was now in his original body thanks to his brother's sacrifice. He of course had cried for hours and still felt as though it was his fault that his brother was dead. From Roy's new onslaught of emotion, he almost felt some hate towards Al, childish though he knew it was.

There had been no body inside of the coffin and no fancy funeral attached. Mustang had unanimously decided that Full Metal wouldn't have wanted that.

The girl from Risembool had brought an automail arm and leg to place inside, and Al a lone picture of Ed he had kept. Everyone that knew him contributed something to his final resting grounds.

Every time that Ed had shown up inured or was reported to be in a hospital, Roy would yell at him for somewhere near a half hour, trying to pound some sense into the rebellious boy. But through most of Roy's insults and advice, Full Metal would tell him that 'It wasn't a big deal,' or that 'He should learn to relax more.'

And as Roy braced his shoulders on Ed's stone grave he knew the sickening fact. That as much as he wanted to scream his lungs out to the sky and lash out at everything about how stupid Edward could be, Ed would not hear. He would not say anything, not even the bratty remark of calling Roy a bastard.

Rain pounded all around Roy with intensity, though he found he had no qualms of it. Ed had always hated the rain; he said it made his automail limbs ache and that each drop was too depressing.

Strangely, the rain had seemed to follow him when he was alive.

But Roy found a strange comfort in that rain, much like this, had fallen on the young Alchemist once. And he remained grateful that it was so ferocious, otherwise someone may have seen the tears rolling down Roy Mustang's face.

And yet, Roy wondered with a distant thought that perhaps somewhere, somehow, Ed may still be alive, in the body that the military had never found.

_AU: Just a random thought that plunked into my head. For those who didn't get it, this is the alternate of when Ed went through the gate, and the military assumes he's dead. _


	2. Chapter 2

**DETERMINATION-**

Gone.

Roy Mustang, or as he had been dubbed for nearly four years, "the bastard" was gone. It seemed strange to Edward Elric that he would actually miss that smug smirk and the sarcastic comments that would follow once it opened.

Though now, after three years of being stuck in this strange world, Ed had lost much hope of ever leaving. He stopped wishing he had told Mustang how he'd felt.

Because Mustang was not dead, simply gone. Were he dead, at least Edward would have the satisfaction in knowing that no matter what he would never see his commander again. This feeling of knowing that he _was_ alive out there was the worst torture imaginable. That faint and fleeting hope that he could go home periodically built up in his chest as he chased after a new lead. Then violently deflate when it led to a dead-end.

While Edward was traveling through the scientific conventions he had stumbled on a sight that nearly broke his heart. There, standing a mere distance away was the man that he had been searching to find all of this time. The stranger was nearly an exact look-alike to the infamous Flame Alchemist. It appeared that he was watching one of the rare rocket demonstrations. And although Ed's mind was screaming for him to go and speak with the man, he knew that it wasn't Roy. No matter how much it may look like him, he wasn't the same. The pain of literally being torn in two was too much and Ed ran away.

Frequently, when he wasn't having his memories morphed into nightmares, Edward saw the Colonel. He was moping in a depressed sort of way, and usually drinking. The rather large eye patch that Mustang supposedly wore now was like a realization. That this was the real Roy. As people do change over time, that change was proof that he was alive. And that alone gave Edward a faint sense of hope.

It was currently raining where Edward was standing in the middle of a stone street. He never had like the rain, much too depressing. But he really didn't know if Mustang minded it, Ed hadn't gotten that chance to ask.

This rain really wasn't helping at all. It was only making his eyes tear up even more than they had been. It also made it easier for the betraying substance to fall. And Ed had sworn never to cry again. He swore to be like Mustang, to never cry and to not show any real emotion.

Just thinking of the Colonel now made Edward reminiscent. Anything to hear that silky smooth voice one last time, even the bastard remark of commenting on how short Ed was.

And for some reason he actually felt a small comfort in that rain similar to this had fallen on Roy. The rain was all around them, wherever they may be. Giving a special bond.

Yet Ed couldn't help thinking that maybe someday, somehow he would be able to return home once again, to the Alchemist that was waiting.


	3. Chapter 3

**CONTACT-**

With reluctance he lay down on the padded cotton sheets. He didn't want to sleep, he wanted to stay awake. But Hawkeye had promptly informed him that even the most determined man should sleep after six days without it. And as Roy had protested she whipped out her small handgun and Roy felt that he was simply too exhausted to argue further with her.

Roy frequently dreamt of what he ultimately could not have, hence he began to hate sleeping. The one thing he wanted would flash before his eyes, too far for him to touch, and so close that it became unbearable agony.

He had given up his grand dream of becoming the Furher just to protect that unattainable vessel. Roy's daily thoughts of Edward clouded his sleep and left him feeling cheated. It was as if some godly being above him was mocking him by dangling a piece of heaven in front of him for so a small fragment of time. Then it would violently lurch his visions of the young Alchemist away, like a puff of smoke he would disappear before Roy's eyes.

Perhaps this occurred because of all of the lives Roy had taken in his steps up the career ladder. A punishment for attempting to act like a god. At least, that was what Roy was beginning to believe.

He felt himself …floating? Like he was suspended in air as a still object. His arms, legs, fingers, toes, nothing was functioning. Was this how Ed felt when his automail gave out on him? Completely helpless… Roy could only wonder.

Light flooded his vision and it felt as though the intense color was burning his uncovered eye. Roy shied away from the harsh burst of white light that followed in a weak attempt to protect his only remaining eye. He suddenly found that he could move once again, and his body mechanically trudged out from the light and into the darkness.

The sight of a small dark bedroom came as no surprise. This was what happened when he slept; he would see this room and the occupant in it. But no matter how much he wanted to go and give the figure a bone crushing hug and demand that he never do something so reckless again, he never could. Roy would get so close to Edward's sleeping body, and as he already discovered, he could merely watch, never touch.

Even just the ability to brush against the Alchemist's hair would be enough.

In protest to his pessimistic mind, he slowly crept closer to the bed in the corner, and took a look at the occupant.

Still sleeping with his stomach widely exposed after all of these years, Edward Elric let out a small mumble that sounded suspiciously like "Colonel Bastard." That alone made Roy catch a small grin.

With a steady and careful hand, Roy slowly reached closer to the younger man's head. He reached bit by bit to brush the golden hair out of the Alchemist's eyes. His soft fingertips barely connected with the limp locks when Roy felt that lurch which said the dream would end now. But, it didn't…

Instead, amethyst eyes snapped open like a firecracker and broke Roy out of his previous thoughts. They gradually peered around the poorly lit room, searching for what had awoken him. As the sleep faded from his foggy mind, Edward's eyes fell directly on Mustang.

Roy wondered with a leap of hope if the boy could actually see him, or if it was a painful coincidence.

His answer was given as Ed climbed shakily out of the bed and walked to just in front of where Roy was currently standing. With a look of confusion plastered on his face, Edward reached out his automail hand towards Roy. Without hesitation Mustang raised his own hand so that their fingertips barely pressed against each other. But as Roy was more like a silhouette than a flesh body at the moment, Ed's fingers drifted past Roy's. And although it appeared that they really couldn't touch, Roy felt nonetheless a warm sensation pass through his blood, heating him from the core.

Roy wished that this feeling of bliss could have lasted forever. But the shaky cry he heard himself give opened his eyes to his own bedroom.

Ed wasn't here… It really was just a dream.

Roy felt a few tears slowly course down his face as he leaned back into his pillow. With a smile he reminded himself to thank Hawkeye for making him sleep. It wasn't much, but this time they had actually made a sort of contact. Roy hoped desperately with all his being that it meant something.

* * *

A pained cry echoed throughout Edward's body.

Again he was seeing Mustang in his dreams. But now, instead of seeing him as he usually did, sleeping on a couch, Ed had seen Roy in his room. He saw the look on Roy's face when he looked at the Colonel. That look of utter hope now left Ed wishing that he had been able to feel Roy's hand for that small comfort.

He reluctantly broke his vow to control his emotions and cried for what seemed to be no reason. Why was he crying when he had just had a real kind of meeting with Mustang? He should be happy, so why were the tears coursing down so quickly?

Then again, didn't love do strange things to a person?

_AU: Sorry to leave you all there, but I wanted so badly to do this chapter that I did two in one day. Think of it as a Halloween present._


	4. Chapter 4

ARRIVAL-

The stone ground cracked beneath his solid boot. With a weary face, he gazed past the waters that graced the Munich harbor. A golden sunset with purple clouds filled the skies and a few distant gulls flew overhead.

Ed had no idea why he was even here in the first place. Nothing was here for him. The way to get home did not lie here, so why after all this time had he come back? He really wasn't sure…

A memory vaguely came to Edward as grey sand met his eyes. He had once stood on a similar shore with the Colonel. Looked at the same sea, smelt the same salty air. As he remembered more, it began to feel like it happened yesterday. That day when Mustang had first admitted how he felt to Edward.

Ed admitted how he had been young at the time, and reacted as any child would. He ran away. And now he found himself constantly berating the fact the he hadn't spoken up. He wished so badly that Roy could be here now; he would have told him that he was sorry.

With a forlorn look, Edward turned back to the road where he had come from. But as his eyes slowly focused on the figure in the distance, his blood ran cold.

Standing yards away was Hoenheim, his father, waving at him.

Ed clomped over to where he was waiting and adorned himself with his best scowl.

"Where the hell did you go, you bastard?" He demanded with a snarl. A few weeks after Ed had crossed the Gate to this world, his father had left, vanishing without a trace.

"There was something that I needed to confirm." Hoenheim pushed back his glasses with his forefinger and said with a weak smile, "I've found a way to send you back."

* * *

Roy breathed a heavy sigh and emptied the rest of his drink, setting the glass down with a clank. After his surreal run in with Full Metal, he wasn't sure of what to think anymore. The next morning, Roy had gone to Headquarters and searched every book available for any possible clues. But it had mostly been useless. Schiezka had tried to help Roy find what he was looking for. Even her expertise with books (in general) proved to be pointless.

Hawkeye had literally forced him out of the building afterwards and told him that he had best go home and rest. Yet Roy found that he was far too restless. To try and quell his anxiety, he had chosen to go and take a walk. The rain had stopped after all.

* * *

Edward merely stared at his father in shock. Send him back home? _That couldn't be possible…_

"You can't get me back; Alchemy cannot be performed in this world. Besides, you would need a sacrifice to even think of-" Ed blinked in realization. _Hoenheim was planning on sacrificing himself?_

When he saw that the man was not protesting or denying Ed's suspicions he went into a fury. "You can't do that you stupid bastard! You can't. It won't work…"

Hoenheim laid a strong hand on Edward's flesh shoulder and this time smiled a true smile. "Yes I can Edward. I have been researching it since I left. Alchemy can work in this world. The Gate will open if there is a large enough sacrifice," he explained.

As Ed stood bewildered, Hoenheim clapped his hands and a transmutation circle appeared around Ed and him.

The shining lights snapped Edward out of his daze and he violently gripped his father's coat. "You can't! I- I won't let you!" He yelled with fierce emotion and his metal fingers grinded together.

Hoenheim sighed, "I can, and you will let me. I know how much you wish to return," He fondly let his hand rest on Ed's golden hair, and to his surprise found that there was no protest. "Besides, Trisha is waiting for me over there… and I want to go to her," Hoenheim said with a glance at the now setting sun.

A loud clap resounded while Hoenheim brought his hands down to the start of the circle. And as Edward heard his father whisper _good-bye_, harsh light engulfed him.

* * *

A world filled with golden light; endless color that had no end. A large black Gate with inscriptions carved throughout the entire block of stone.

Ed stared up with awe. It took him a moment to realize that he had been here before. This should not seem like a new sight to him.

"I did not think that I would see you here again. You foolish boy. What have you come to sacrifice this time?" A voice echoed through the emptiness.

"Truth…" Edward whispered hoarsely. A large red eye appeared on the door and peered down towards him. "Take me home…" He whispered.

"Ah. I see. So you will sacrifice even your own father just to get back to that ludicrous world?" Truth snickered and disappeared all together.

"Just take me home!" Edward screamed with the rage of the past three years pouring out of him all at once.

Small black hands reached out as the Gate opened and pulled Edward within.

* * *

Ed opened his eyes with a grimace when he felt immense pounding inside his head. Through blurry vision he looked out at his surroundings. It had seemed as though he had been hit with a train.

He recognized a bakery shop to his left and the house down the street. But that would mean he was in… The flag in the distance confirmed his thoughts. _This was Central_.

"Central?" Edward quietly whispered. His thoughts jumped alive when he slowly realized the meaning of what he had said. If this was Central, then Roy should be here.

He shakily climbed to his feet, with a quick grateful check that he hadn't acquired any injuries, and began to run towards Central Headquarters.

All other thoughts that Ed had previously held were shoved to the back of his mind. The only idea he could successfully process was that Roy was here. He had finally made it.

His sudden joy was jarred as a gun fired at his feet. Ed swiftly turned to see a military soldier aiming the gun at him now, rather than at the ground.

"You… Are you not the Full Metal Alchemist? Previous employee of the State?" the soldier questioned and while Edward tried to protest, the man only cocked his gun again. Obviously talking wasn't going to work…

His defiant side kicked over as he suspiciously asked, "So what of I am?"

The soldier's gaze opened a fraction further for a split second, and then reverted back to no emotion. "You are charged with the murder of Furher King Bradley. Come with me quietly where you will be tried."

_Murder of Bradley? What was this nutcase going on about?_

"Listen, maybe you have me confused with someone else. I just arrived here. Could you direct me to-?"

Ed's question was cut off as the guard repeated, "Please return with me without resistance. Return to the trial in which you rightfully belong!"

Edward grinned sadly, "This is where I belong." And with that he turned tail and ran.

Using all of the energy that he had left, Ed willed his feet to move faster. He had to get to Mustang. He couldn't let such a minor thing as this soldier get in his way.

"_Roy!"_

* * *

Roy turned back and gazed silently down the street. "He could have sworn that he heard someone call his name. It had even sounded like Full Metal. With a snort he realized that he must be hallucinating. Maybe this stroll wasn't such a bright idea. The heat was definitely getting to him.

That brief moment of lost sanity was enough to convince him to turn back home. He slowly rounded the sharp corner.

Roy violently swore as a body collided with him and completely knocked him over backwards. He tried to blink the stars out of his eye with little success. But as his attacked blurted out, "You stupid bastard! Can't you watch where the hell you're going?!" Roy felt his thoughts turn to liquid. That voice, it couldn't be…

Both of the figures slowly looked up at each other and heard themselves as the gasped.

Roy could only stare at the older (and apparently taller) Alchemist that was sitting in front of him. Ed was actually there, in front of him right now, and he could not believe it. All of these years he had spent thinking of what he would have said to Edward. And now that the boy was right before his eyes, all he could manage was stuttered gibberish.

He watched Ed gaze at him, and vaguely thought that Full Metal must be thinking the same thing. Ed gently brought his flesh hand to Roy's face and cupped his cheek.

_This time, his hand did not go through. It wasn't a dream, this was_ _real…_

Through Roy's moment of bliss he vaguely saw a man a ways away behind Edward. He vaguely saw the gun currently in the man's hand. And he vaguely saw the bullet fire.

What seemed to be in slow motion, Roy watched the bullet come closer to where his Edward was. And with a great effort, he shoved Ed away to the side.

Ed felt himself slam against the stone ground and was prepared to let the curses fly at Mustang. But as he looked up to Roy, he watched in slow motion as a bullet buried itself in his chest.

Sweat rolled down Ed's temple and mixed with his tears when he gave a strangled cry into the now night.

_AU: To my most likely pissed off readers, don't worry. This is NOT the end!_


	5. Chapter 5

_AU: Hello to my appreciated readers and reviewers. Welcome to the last chapter (finally). This previous one shot actually was fun to do, and I hope you like the work I spent on this last round!_

**SEMI-SEMBLANCE-**

_Erroneous… False… Lies._

This was not real; nor was it happening. The whole scenario had to be a large dreadful dream that miraculously came to life. "Come to life?" That in itself was a joke, a sham. How could his "life" come back to being "alive" when he just saw it get shot down, directly in front of him?

_Rage… Hate… -Love?_

Was that how one would describe the undying tingling in the back of his throat? The gut feeling which told him that this had to be a lie, could that be lo-? He cut his train of thought off, right there. He could not find the courage it would take to even think that… word again.

He finally made it back, and dared to believe the nightmare would be over… '_So much for that.'_

That idiot, smirking, smug, condescending bastard officially made it apparent that for all of his academic and alchemic knowledge, he could be so completely and utterly retarded.

_Retarded; slow to think, an underdeveloped mind._

That seemed the most effective way to efficiently _"label"_ the bastard's stupidity. After all, what kind of person would actually allow themselves to be injured like that? Oh, heroicness and nobleness could take all their properties and shove them for all he cared. Some random action of undying love- there was _that_ word again- was hardly worth this agony.

Sure he'd done it more than once to protect Al. But Al was his brother that was an entirely different matter. He knew Al all of his life, and yet he found that he loved Roy Mustang just as much. Yes, loved…

And as he held Roy's bleeding body, Edward managed a glance up at the one who initiated such a conflict. It was not that he actually blamed the guy… After all, Ed knew fully well that the man would shoot at him eventually. So then it was Mustang's fault for getting in the way.

Bah! As if Ed needed such a worthless, pitiful sacrifice. He didn't want someone- especially "_him_"- to give up their life for him. That was strictly Edward's job and he knew it. He was the one that sacrificed himself for others, and put others ahead of himself.

But this raw, tearing feeling of having someone take a hit for him was not welcome. At lest he now knew how Alphonse and Winry must have felt when he had been the one to do something so stupid.

"Damn it… you stupid bastard," Edward choked out through the tears slowly coursing down his face.

The soldier in front of him lost control of his gun as it clattered down to his feet. It may have been because he actually shot someone. Yet, from the quivering of his lower lip and the slight twitching of his eyelid, Ed somehow doubted that. After all, he had just brought down Colonel Mustang, the Flame Alchemist. The man who had nearly become the Furher. And when he quickly turned away to run, Ed thought that it might have been to get backup.

_Though, he found himself not caring…_

The soldier didn't matter; neither did anything else. Only Roy did. Right now, he was the only one that Ed felt _deserved_ to have his attention.

It looked as though Mustang was trying to talk, and for how much Ed wanted to hear that silky voice, he found an effective way to silence Roy. Besides, they say that talking while you're injured supposedly only_ drains_ your strength.

But, nevertheless, Edward realized that the man had to breathe, so he removed his lips from Roy's.

A small amount of shock was visible through the pain-etched face that Mustang was staring at Ed with. Slowly, a quiet, small smile formed and Ed realized what he had to do.

If the egotistical Roy Mustang could make such a sacrifice for him, the Ed would definitely show the bastard up by topping him. And for kicks, save his life while he was at it.

* * *

Mustang was sure lucky that Ed had written the letter a few months before hand. Otherwise, he may have had to wait for him to plot it out. And who knows, he could have been dead by then.

As Edward worriedly glanced at him, he hurriedly finished scanning the paper. Only one thing was missing to close it. Ed apologized as he dipped his metal finger into some of Roy's lost blood and carefully wrote two words at the end of the parchment. His scratchy writing read, 'Alphonse' on the front.

And with that, Edward knew that he was ready.

_

* * *

__The Gate. _

Looming ominous doors parted and patiently waited for Ed to walk through of his own accord. This was more of a _trade_ than a _sacrifice_. _It was the same as that time with Al_.

In exchange for Roy's life Edward was fully prepared to go back to the 'other world'. Truth knew how much Edward despised that dreary, morose place. Though, it hadn't the slightest idea why.

Deep inside, Ed hated the truth all together. He'd been running from it for what, nearly eight years? No, more than that… Probably since his father left Al and his mother alone. So when the opportunity arised for truth to manifest into an actual form, Ed couldn't hold back that immense hatred. He _hated_ doing what the Gate and Truth wanted. But he had to remember, this was for Roy. As long as he reminded himself of that…

"Hurry up chibi-kun"

Edward's golden eyes flared at the source of the echoing voice. The shape that carried an arm and leg merely grinned at him. "Shut the hell up you asshole! And don't you _dare _assume that I'm short when you don't even have a _real_ body!" Ed seethed as he stomped towards the doors.

Truth suddenly burst into small fist of laughter, "Good one! But, you really mustn't be so touchy!"

Dark light and small hands reached for Edward while he breeched the entrance. In his heart, he sent a small good bye to his former commanding officer.

But he was abruptly pulled out of his dazed state of mind as a cool hand clenched his fingers.

The Gate doors shut violently while Truth screamed, "You can't do that! You shrimp! That's _not _equivalency!"

A voice beside Truth persuaded chastely, "Now, now… The agreement was only for Ed to have to go; you never said anything against the other one going with him."

Truth sneered, "You're lucky I owe you, Hoenheim of Light…"

* * *

Al grumbled at the continuous pounding that resounded off of the oak door. It was (he glanced at the mantle clock) 11:30 for crying out loud! Who could have come all the way to Risembool at this late of night? He shuddered to think of what would happen if Winry or Pinako were to wake.

He wearily opened the door while scratching the back of his head. However, as his sleep-glazed eyes glanced at the military uniforms, he quickly snapped to attention.

"Mr. Alphonse Elric?" the first man inquired slowly.

'A Lieutenant?' Al frantically searched his mind for any unknown crime that he may have committed. Maybe that old lady was only joking when she said he could take her apple pies for free… What if-?

"Sir!" the second, a subordinate, barked to bring him out of his daze.

"Oh! Y-yes, what is it?"

The Lieutenant placed a piece of paper into Al's hands. "This document was found addressed to you at the scene of a man's death. We believe it to be related to a Mr. Edward Elric?"

Any sleep that lay dormant in Al's brain instantly melted away. This was from Ed? _But how? Where was he?!_

"T-thank you," Alphonse stuttered as the two men saluted him and turned to leave.

"We are deeply sorry for your loss sir," the subordinate said.

'_Wait… Loss?'_

* * *

_Sunlight._ Bright bloody sunlight.

Who needed it? Mornings surely could start without overbearing rays peeking through the drawn curtains and blinding the once happy sleeper.

Ed shifted his position a bit to try and get some air room. Not to by any change sound rude, but the lump beside him _reeked_ of ashes and tangy cologne. And while a little of it was nice, an entire night really did a job on one's nose.

And all Ed had gotten for his efforts was a large hand turning over and smacking him in the head. Ed _really_ had to wonder if Mustang was actually asleep, or if he was doing this on purpose.

Either way, he was a stubborn hog! He had an entire ¾ of the bed for himself, yet he felt the need to try and invade Ed's mere slice of the bed.

"All right Roy…," Ed growled menacingly, "…move over before I make you!" He clinked together his automail fingers to hopefully get his point across clearly.

Mustang rolled over and said with a look of mock-hurt, "How could you Edward? I faced a bullet for you. A gun!"

"Yeah, about that…" Ed replied, suddenly growing serious.

He grasped the hand he was previously smacked with and with a glare snarled, "Don't you _dare _do that again!"

Roy peered at Ed curiously; wondering where this could be leading.

"If you do…" he squeezed the limb harder, "… I'll kill you myself."

An honest, serious face came to Roy and he looked at those raw, unguarded eyes. _But, unfortunately…_

"Ed, while groin injuries do bring extreme pain, I would recommend that you try for something higher. Like perhaps my chest, or head? Lucky for you, I can see just how difficult that would be. So maybe I can ask the flower shop lady down the street if she has a soap box. Then at least you wouldn't have to jump so high."

Ed's face turned every shade of red and purple from anger and holding his breath, desperately trying to contain his temper.

Mustang was _not_ helping…

"Well, look at you. Such control Full Metal! It looks as though I won't have to purchase a muzzle for you."

"You stupid bastard!" Ed screeched as he skillfully smacked Roy with the back of his automail hand.

"You know… This might leave a bruise and damage my perfect skin," Roy's eyes twinkled in a mysterious way.

"I was being serious!" Edward huffed.

As a possible apology Mustang pulled Ed back under the covers and whispered in his ear.

"I _know_…"

Edward grinned, "You stupid jerk…"

* * *

Al slowly peeled open the sealed paper,

"_Dear Alphonse,_

_Strange world isn't it? Although you will probably never get to read this, here I am writing it while I fully know that fact. But, if you do read this, then that means I mustn't be around anymore. And for that I'm sorry._

_Not such a good big brother, am I? Oh well, I'm sure you forgive me. You always were the one that had an easier time forgiving, but never forgetting. You hear me Al? Never forget. I'm not saying you have to write a memoir on it or anything. Just make sure that you never let go of the tears and determination we held to make it to where we are today. Or rather, where you are._

_It's a strange semblance that for the four years together we were both connected by our metal bodies. I almost feel detached now that we don't have that connection anymore. Then again, Winry must have welcomed your arrival in the flesh. And don't deny it! I'm your big brother. I know all about your long side glances of love. Heh, you'd probably hit me now, if we were at arms reach._

_But seriously, you've got to remember that contact, whether physical, metal or spiritual, whatever, is the most important. If you don't have that, you'll lose what's most important to you._

_And, if you could bring me some damned orange juice to the afterlife once we get there, I'd appreciate it. Even though I don't believe that religious stuff, I may wind up in some hell for all I know. They might try to stuff milk down my throat as a torture sequence. And I really don't want to have to go through with that. So thanks._

_I hope you understand why I did what I did. But, you're smart (not as much as I am, but close) so you've probably got it all figured out by now. Oh, and don't you ever do something like that, for anyone. Believe me; dying like that really isn't worth it._

_Later Al,_

_P.S. Don't forget to be happy (big brother knows best), and I'll really be damned if I find out you're taller than me!"_

And scrawled in blood were two simple words that made Al's breath hitch in his throat.

Al was determined he wouldn't forget, not a single bit of it. And he hoped that someday, somehow, he may see his brother again.

The blood-written words read:

"_Love you."_

_**Owari.**_

_

* * *

__AU: (tear) Anyways, thank you to all who read this, and especially to you reviewers out there. And speaking to you, for reviewing my work I offer you a reward (no, it's not a cookie). It's a fanart view of a smugly picture of course featuring Ed and Roy._

_Now, for those whose accounts I can get the e-mail address, I'll send you one, and if you don't want it then delete it._

_But, for those that I can't, if you want one and you don't want the entire site to know your address, you can go to my profile, find my address, and send me yours._

_Again, thanks to those who supported me through this, and I hope to see you in future works!_


End file.
